Charles praises ‘absolutely irresistible’ gin on market visit
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall toured Ely Market on a day of royal engagements in Cambridgeshire.
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The Prince of Wales sipped a sloe and cherry gin and described it as “absolutely irresistible” as he spoke to traders during a visit to a market in wintry Cambridgeshire.
He and the Duchess of Cornwall toured stalls in Ely, with both stopping to sample apple juice, Camilla buying some brownies and Charles pausing beside a gin stall.
“Shall I try a drop?” he said, before laughing that it was served in the “biggest glass, big as my whole face!”
He called the gin “absolutely irresistible”, thanking stallholder Nancy Decleir and wishing her a happy Christmas as she gave him a bottle of the spirit.
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Ms Decleir, who founded Ely Gin in the market seven years ago with her husband, James Clark, said afterwards: “What an honour to be able to present your product to such an audience.
“It’s incredible.”
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She added: “He tried it neat, he enjoyed it, and I think, with these temperatures today, he can definitely use it.”
Charles and Camilla took time to speak to crowds of well-wishers as they carried out a series of engagements.
Krista Richardson, 34, of Littleport, was with her five-month-old daughter, Alexis, who squeezed Charles’s finger as he spoke to them.
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“He just said she was bundled up really warm, wrapped up really warm, then she grabbed his finger and he said ‘She’s got a very strong grip’,” she said, adding it was “lovely”.
Maddy Boning, aged three, who was with a group of children from Rainbow Pre-School in Ely, gave Camilla a bunch of flowers.
Debbie Reed, manager of the pre-school, said the children were excited about the royal visit.
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Charles also visited The Stained Glass Museum in Ely in his role as its patron, cutting a cake to mark its 40th anniversary.
He also visited an almshouse run by Thomas Parsons’ Charity, wishing residents an early happy Christmas.